The Seed
by Petricore
Summary: 3 years after the events of SAO and ALO, Asuna and Kazuto have finished school and are living together, beginning their new lives. They started their own tea shop, living simple, happy lives. Everything seems to be perfect, until one day, Asuna awakes to an empty home, and an emptier heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

The first withered orange leaf drifted slowly to the ground. A still melancholy filled the air, as though nature were both mourning it's loss and celebrating the new vibrancy of Autumn. The honey-sweet scent of ripening apples and pears floated aimlessly into the atmosphere, bringing with it a brief and homely sense of nostalgia to any who caught it. It was this brief nostalgia that brought Kazuto's mind to a moment of blissful peace. Standing on his deck, observing the fading sunlight beyond the mountains around him, he inhaled deeply. The world seemed so small from he and Asuna's house on the mountain, and their deck, which he built specifically for a new sense of perspective, allowed him to see all of it. The miles of forest below him, the barren rock of the mountains around him, and the serene grassy mountain top he called home gave him a sense of connection. He thought of his life up to this point. After the events of SAO and ALO, he and Asuna spent some time catching up with school, and were able to test out, finishing early. The moment they received those framed diplomas, they left, eager to start their new lives together. It definitely wasn't conventional, but then again, they never were. Here on the mountain, Kazuto and Asuna found their passion by opening their own tea shop, The Jade Palace, in the nearby village. They led simple lives, but they were happy.

A sliver of honeyed steam from his mug of warm cider reached his nose, waking him from his trance. He often enjoyed letting his mind wander, thinking about life, toying with philosophy and belief. Though, he never truly felt a connection to the various ideas he pondered, simply thinking about them out of fascination. He refocused his attention to the now pink and orange sky. He took a sip of his cider, and leaned far over the edge of his deck, admiring the tiny world below. He widened his eyes in order to take everything in once more before the sun disappeared completely. He heard the light shuffle of feet come out from behind him, and felt an unexpected warm embrace wrap around him. Asuna hugged his back, leaning in deeper to rest her gentle chin on his shoulder. Kazuto drifted back a ways and closed his eyes briefly. "You're so beautiful", he whispered. She softly kissed his neck. "You tell me all the time", she whispered back with a smile. Kazuto and Asuna let out a final sigh as the last few pink clouds turned dark blue. The worst of everything was finally behind them.

The next morning, Asuna awoke to the soft yellow sunlight warming her face. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms behind her. "Good morning Kazuto", she said drowsily. Silence. Still tired, and rubbing her eyes to adjust to the Saturday morning sun, she turned to shake him awake. "You can be so lazy sometimes" she stated mockingly. But her hand fell through the air, landing on nothing but sheets. Her eyes, now adjusted, searched the room for Kazuto, but found nothing except his cold imprint beside her.

"Huh...He must have gotten up early.."

Asuna stepped out of bed and slipped on a jacket and shorts. She began making her way toward the kitchen to make some

breakfast for Kazuto when he returned. Walking down the hallway, she couldn't help but wonder why Kazuto would leave without

telling her. He never kept anything from her, not after SAO, not after all that's happened. Asuna waited, growing more worried

with each passing hour. She went out calling for him, searched the nearby cliffs where he liked to meditate, looked everywhere,

but by the time she returned home in the early evening, she knew. Something was wrong. She could feel it clearly now - Kazuto

was in trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

Kazuto drearily came to, his eyes opening haltingly. His head hung low, and darkness surrounded him. He felt his arms and legs bound to the chair he was sitting on. He was not at home. His eyes now shot open, and he felt a familiar awareness flow through him. He frantically examined the emptiness around him, seeking any sign of life or color. He could hear the periodic drip of water, and could smell the familiar scent of damp granite and earthy musk that so often accompanied the various caves among the mountains where he lived. "Where am I? What happened? Where is Asuna?" These thoughts raced through his mind. Abruptly, his eyes fixed on a faint light coming from directly in front of him. The sound of footsteps echoed in his ears. Squinting to get a better look, he noticed three figures walking toward him, torches in hand.

As they approached, Kazuto attempted to make out who they were. They were very strange looking, all of them wearing some form of robe. The one in front, obviously the one in charge, wore an elaborate red robe, forming folds where it draped over their right shoulder. Further more, from the dim reflection of the torchlight, Kazuto could vaguely see upon their shoulder, a glossy metallic pin containing a symbol of a Phoenix. The other two wore simpler robes, also red, but without any extensive design. Kazuto strained his brow, trying as hard as he could to see their faces, but was unsuccessful. Hoods loomed over each face, covering everything up to the mouth, which was then covered by cloth extending up from the neck. They now stood directly in front of him, and stopped. They took a few moments, standing in silence, moving their heads ever so slightly, performing what seemed to be some sort of visual examination.

"Kazuto Kirigaya," the leader said aloud, as if to confirm it was, in fact, Kazuto.

"I am Master Satoru. These are my colleagues. We are members of the Order of the First Light. I assume that you don't know-"

"Stop. Stop it Dammit! What have you done with Asuna?" Kazuto shouted impatiently. He couldn't stand this. After everything he and Asuna went through, after they had finally made a life together, how could this happen? How could he have let anyone separate them? He was furious inside, and there was no way he was just going to let this happen- but what could he do? The leader, having been cut off so suddenly, took a moment to recollect himself. He cleared his throat.

"I see.. Of course you want to know about your wife. Well, right to the point then: Asuna is not here, we have no need of her, and I can assure you, the Order of the First Light isn't anticipating anyone to be harmed. We simply need your 'cooperation'. Now, before you deny this request, please do understand that though we did not take Asuna, we are watching her, and we will do what needs to be done in order to 'persuade' you." Kazuto felt a creeping pain and sluggishness crawl up his spine. He tilted his head back, trying to understand what was happening.

"Ah, I forgot to mention," the leader continued, taking note of Kazuto's dull look. "We had you drugged before we took you, so you might as well forget about any heroics, they won't do you any good."

"They...drugged me?" Kazuto thought in disbelief. Everything began to fade, and his awareness, his consciousness, grew faint along with his surroundings. Whatever they used to wake him from his drug-induced coma was obviously wearing off, and Kazuto was slipping back into a dreary state. He still had so many questions, but all he could focus on was the last of the leaders words before he blacked out completely.

"All will be clear with time, Kazuto. We just need a way to explain things. We'll speak soon. And remember, we know you Kazuto, better than you may think.."

With that, Kazuto's blurry vision faded to black.


End file.
